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Purchase And Redemption

Leslie M. Grant

Wonderful Paradoxes Of Scripture

Here are two distinct truths vitally connected with what we have already considered. Both are the result of the great work of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. We are told in Matthew 13:44 of a man who finds treasure hid in a field, and "from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field." Verse 38 informs us that "the field is the world." lt is the Lord Jesus who has sold all that He had, His very life, in order to purchase the world. Though He is Creator and by Creatorial right the world was His, yet man (whom God put in charge of the world) allowed Satan to take possession as a cruel usurper. The Lord Jesus would not take it back on Satan's terms (Mt. 4:8‑10), but rather would pay the tremendous price of sacrificing Himself to purchase it as His own possession. Therefore, the world and everything in it is fully at His disposal. This same truth is indicated in John 12:32, "And I, lf I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." He is not speaking of men being saved, but all being brought to the place of having to answer to Him, for He by His sacrifice has bought them.

There are some who assume that, because the world and everyone in it has been purchased by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, therefore all belong in a vital way to the Lord and none will be lost. This is not true, for there are two lines of truth here that must not be confused. 2 Peter 2:1 speaks of false teachers who deny "the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves." Speaking of the same people, verse 17 says, ‑for whom the black darkness has been reserved." Though the Lord had bought them, their end is the eternal darkness of hell. Since Christ has paid the purchase price to buy them, He has the right to do with them as He sees fit. lf they brazenly refuse to be subject to Him, it is perfectly right that they should suffer the consequences.

Redemption is the other line of truth, closely akin to "purchase", but applicable only to those who have in repentance and faith, received the Lord Jesus as Savior. "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7). This is much more than "purchase." lf a slave has merely been bought, it usually means that he becomes the slave of the purchaser. However, if he is redeemed he is not only bought, but set fully free. Believers have been liberated from the guilt of their sins and from the bondage of sin by the precious blood of Christ. Simply by receiving Christ into the heart, this liberty becomes effective. Wonderful liberty of grace!

To the believer these two truths are not as great a paradox as are the others previously mentioned, but he values them both, and keeps them distinct.

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